French bulldogs are steadily gaining popularity as the most favourite dog breed in the UK. With their affectionate nature and charming appeal, people cannot help but fall for their charms.
But there is more to French bulldogs than just being cute and cuddly. They are smart pooches too that can be easily trained if given the proper methods of french bulldog training.
Exclusive Tips for French Bulldog Training
• Train Your Frenchie Early
Although French bulldogs love human company and are generally sweet by nature, they are independent thinkers. In short, they can be stubborn at times which can make them a bit challenging to train. Sometimes they would tend to disobey commands.
That is why it is crucial to train your pooch as soon as you bring them home to set the rules and pack order from the start and make sure all family members are on the same team.
• Types of French bulldog Training Methods
- Establishing Yourself as an Alpha
The first step to take when training a French bulldog is to make your pooch understand that you are the “Alpha” in the “pack”. By doing so, you are able to establish that you are the one who is in charge. Since French bulldogs are known to have a stubborn streak, this method will assist you in encouraging him to become more obedient.
– Ways to Demonstrate You are an Alpha
- Refrain from allowing your Frenchie to sleep with you on the bed. It is crucial to set boundaries as soon as possible on where they are allowed to sleep.
- Let your pooch eat only after you are done eating. The pack leader always eats first.
- Let your Frenchie move out of the way instead of you.
- Avoid paying constant attention to your pooch even when he is sulking.
- Make your pooch the last one to go out of the door as the pack leader is the one who leads.
Setting yourself as the Alpha is highly important. If this position is not established, your Frenchie will be prone to troublemaking which would hinder you from properly training him.
- Indulge Him with Rewards
Praising your Frenchie for a job well done by giving him rewards is the most crucial part of the training. Giving him rewards would encourage him to continue his good behaviour and follow your instructions as you train him. Moreover, it would urge him to consistently do a good job in the future.
– The reward doesn’t just have to be food:
- Give him lots of hugs and affection.
- Play his favourite game with him
- Verbally praise your pooch.
- Delicious dog treats. Just remember not to over-treat him.
Not only will this motivate your dog to do his best, but it would also strengthen your bond with him.
- Have Short Training Sessions
Limit your French bulldog training sessions to a few minutes instead of extended hours. Generally, dogs have short attention spans and get easily distracted. Also, add in the fact that French bulldogs can be stubborn at times. Once they lose interest in listening to commands and decide they are better off sleeping on the couch, it would be difficult to convince them otherwise.
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Everyday Training For French Bulldogs
1. French bulldog Crate Training
Photo Credit: Girl with a Camera
This training can be taught for both French bulldog puppies and older Frenchies. It is recommended to train your Frenchie immediately, preferably as soon as you bring him home. By introducing him to his crate, you are helping him to settle in peacefully since it is a place where he can sleep and relax. Follow these steps that will help you successfully crate train your French bulldog:
- Step 1
Choose a soft cloth or blanket and place it in the crate to make it a comfortable place for him. Then start playing with your pooch near it. - Step 2 Use your Frenchie’s favourite dog toy or entice him with treats in order to urge him to get inside the crate. Do not force him to enter if he doesn’t want to. Let him do this at his own pace.
- Step 3
If you have successfully introduced your pooch to his crate, move on to feeding him meals near it. Once you are done letting him eat outside the crate, start placing his food inside the crate. After he eats it, place the food farther into the crate and so forth. - Step 4
Once your French bulldog is comfortable in entering and eating inside the crate, you must proceed to close the door whilst he is eating. Then, even if he is done the feeding, keep the door closed for less than ten minutes. - Step 5
After your pooch gets accustomed to staying inside his crate, you can leave him for extended periods of time. Begin this step by calling his name and rewarding him with a treat. Proceed to use a verbal command like “bed” to make him get inside the crate then reward him again. After he enters the crate praise him then close the door. - Step 6
To make him more accustomed to being left alone in the crate, you can reinforce it by sitting silently beside the crate for a few minutes before leaving the room. This training would take a couple of days or weeks for your Frenchie to master. However, it will be worth it.
2. Socializing Your French bulldog
French bulldogs usually have an amiable temperament, especially towards their owners. However, they are also loyal to a fault and may become overprotective over their humans. Thus, Frenchies tend to become aloof towards strangers and prone to show aggression towards other dogs.
That is why it is highly important to socialise your French bulldog at a young age. The ideal time to start training your Frenchie is when he is fully vaccinated. You can begin his socialisation training by:
- Step 1
- You can start by introducing him to people that both of you would encounter daily. Let him meet your mailman, neighbours, gardeners and etc.
- Step 2
- Bring him closer to the person or animal that you want him to meet. If your Frenchie approaches them confidently, always make sure to give your pup a treat and positive praise. However, if he refuses to go near the individual, simply do not offer him any reward.
- Step 3
- If your Frenchie becomes more trusting and comfortable around them, you can move on to socialising him with strangers and various dogs. Then, carry out step 2. Never force your French bulldog to interact with other animals or people. It would only lead him to become scared in trying to socialise. Therefore, you must always be patient and teach your dog to take one step at a time towards successfully socialising with other people
3. French bulldog House Training
French bulldogs generally have tiny bladders, which makes them urinate more frequently compared to other breeds of dogs. Toilet training is one of the very first training you should introduce to your Frenchie. Follow these short yet effective tips to make the litter training process easier:
- Tip 1: Start training your pooch by following a regular feeding schedule.
Having a regular feeding schedule allows you to anticipate when he needs to go and bring him outside. Choose a particular area where he finds it comfortable to relieve himself, and then use that same area each time your pooch decides to do his business. - Tip 2: Pair potty training with crate training.
They are proven to be an extremely effective method in keeping things consistent and clear with your French bulldog. Once you take your dog out of his crate, instantly put a leash on him and use verbal cues such as “Hurry up”. You can then reinforce this by giving him a treat or praise as a reward. - By leading him outside after being inside his crate, you are effectively teaching your Frenchie that his crate is not the appropriate place to relieve himself. After mastering this method, your pooch will develop a cue system like whimpering or standing up in his crate to let you know that he needs to go.
- Tip 3: Thoroughly clean indoor accidents.
If your Frenchie has relieved himself because nobody was there to take him out, clean it properly and make sure to eliminate odours. If some areas still smell like your Frenchie’s faeces and urine, it is highly possible that he would frequent that place to relieve himself.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Your French bulldog training may take some time and efforts. However, always remember to have patience and stick to positive reinforcements rather than scolding your pooch. Do not give up and keep practising.
By using the right training method and building up his trust in you would surely make the training success in no time.
Want to learn more about this fascinating breed, read the French Bulldog breed information.
